


Book XXI: The World

by DarkeShayde



Series: The Arcana: A Retelling [21]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Blood, Dimension Travel, F/M, Falling In Love, Final Battle, Happy Ending, Magic, Memory Loss, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Other, Out of Body Experiences, Portals, Recovered Memories, Threats of Violence, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-29
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-11-07 19:22:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20822522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkeShayde/pseuds/DarkeShayde
Summary: The last leg of their journey is going to prove to be the hardest yet. Shayde, Julian, and their friends must travel across the Devil’s realm and bind him so he can’t cause any more problems. Will they succeed ... or will the Devil have the last laugh?





	Book XXI: The World

The Devil is waiting, somewhere beyond this gate in his realm. His plan to merge the realms is in complete disarray, but he will never stop trying. Not unless I bind him. It won’t be easy … but at least I won’t be alone. Julian, Portia, Asra, Nadia, Nazali, and Mazelinka stand by my side. A united front. Together, we step over the gate’s threshold, and into the Devil’s realm.

The realm is bathed in crimson light. The sand is a rust red color. It’s difficult to see the boundary between sand and sky. Even though there’s no sun here, a stifling, feverish heat presses down on me like a physical weight. Every inch of this scorched, barren landscape radiates hostility.

“Well, this, uh, this is a real friendly place, isn’t it?” Julian quips, his brows drawn down in a frown. He is ever the joker.

“Perfect spot for a vacation.” Nazali agrees as they give the rest of us a grin.

“I don’t know … I hear Prakra has better beaches.” Asra muses. I look out over the red plains. At the very center of the realm is a hill, crowned by towering rock arches. Storm clouds churn above it in a dark swirl. It seems to beckon me towards it, like a twisted black claw.

“There. He’s waiting for us.” I say, pointing in the direction of the towering structure.

“How … ominous.” Nadia remarks.

“Sooo, what’re the odds that he’ll just let us walk up to him and bind him?” Portia asks rhetorically. Just as she finishes speaking, the ground convulses under our feet, and rock pillars and plateaus burst through the ground. With a terrible groan, a chasm opens up ahead of us, filling with a viscous, dark red liquid.

“Pasha!” Julian groans. “You jinxed it!!”

“Did not!” The little sister shoots back. I ever so cautiously approach the edge of the crimson river. It boils sullenly, wisps of steam rising from its surface. The air is hot, and so thick with the smell of copper that it coats my tongue and leaves me feeling decidedly sick. Portia joins me at the river’s edge, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Whoa, is that blood? That’s seriously freaky. And awesome!” She says. I don’t get a chance to reply.

“Pasha, get back from there!” Julian calls out, worry clear in his voice. He grabs her shoulder, pulling her roughly away from the edge.

“Hey, let go!” She demands. Shaking off his grip, Portia whirls, planting her hands on her hips. “What was that for?!” I sense a fight brewing.

“What did you want me to do, let you fall?” Julian snaps.

“I wasn’t going to fall! Everything was fine!” Portia argues back, before turning towards me. “Shayde, back me up here!” I was hoping to stay out of this, but … maybe I can calm things down a bit.

”Julian’s just worried about you.” I reply. Portia probably would have been fine, but as her big brother Julian is always going to worry about her.

“What?!” Portia gasps, sounding completely betrayed. “I should’ve known you’d take his side!” What is she going on about?

“It’s not about sides, Pasha, it’s about keeping you safe!” Julian declares, but Portia won’t be pacified. She only gets more annoyed.

“Ugh, you’re always like this! ‘Ohh, Pasha, don’t do this, it’s dangerous. Pasha, don’t do that, what if you get hurt?’” She mimics Julian’s inflection, with a nasal falsetto that hurts my ears. I can feel a headache starting to build.

“It’s my job to protect you-” Julian begins, but Portia cuts him off.

“No, it’s not! I’m not a kid any more!

“If you’re not a kid, why are you acting like one?” Mazelinka pips up. Julian takes that and starts to run with it.

“Yeah, Pasha, why-” He starts to say with a grin. He doesn’t get very far.

“You too, Ilya!” Mazelinka whirls on him before anyone can blink. “Both of you, knock it off!” Mazelinka waves her spoon at the arguing pair while she scolds them. Nazali abruptly steps in, grabbing her wrist to still her.

“Stop that! Someone’s going to lose an eye.” They say, a rare frown adorning their normally cheerful features.

“Getcher hands off me!” Mazelinka demands.

“All of you, calm down!” Nadia orders. But it’s no use. Julian and Portia are screaming at each other in earnest now.

“Shut up! You SON OF A B-” Portia screeches up at her brother.

“_PASHA!_ You don’t get to talk about our mother like that! You don’t even REMEMBER her!!!” Julian shouts with a snarl, cutting of Portia’s insult. Portia is rendered utterly speechless for a few seconds. The look of stunned hurt on her face is painful to see.

“… I … I’m going to WRING YOUR STUPID NECK!” She screams at Julian, tears welling up in her eyes.

“I _said_, CALM! DOWN!” Nadia says again. Asra sighs in exasperation at the others, shaking his head.

“Why are the fighting, anyways?” He asks, mostly to himself I think. I feel a flash of irritation at his words. It’s just like Asra to make snide comments instead of helping. I open my mouth to say as much, and then the words die in my throat as a thought hits me. Why _are_ they fighting? Portia and Julian must have had their share of fights growing up, but this is unusually vicious. Something isn’t right. Suspicious now, I cast my senses outward.

There. A flicker of red, on the edge of my perception. It’s coming from the realm itself. And the realm’s master, I’d bet. A biter, resentful energy that fans the flames of conflict. Now that I know what to look for, I can tell that the anger rolling over me isn’t quite natural. But I’m the only one who’s noticed. Even Asra seems unaware of it. Everyone is screaming at each other, but no one is being heard. Talking won’t work … but maybe magic will. If it’s in the air, then I know just the thing. Magic leaps to my fingertips. A frosty breeze blows away the red haze, cooling everything down. Everyone stops where they are, their screaming abruptly going quiet.

“Is everyone done shouting?” I ask calmly.

“W-whoa. What was that?” Portia asks, her eyes wide in surprise. The others are looking on in question as well.

“The Devil’s magic. The realm is trying to make us fight each other, so I forced it back.” I explain.

“Oh. That … that makes sense. If we’re fighting each other, we aren’t fighting the Devil.” Asra says, looking kind of embarrassed. Julian clears his throat awkwardly. He looks sheepish, and more than a little chastised.

“Devil’s magic or not, are, uh … Are we good, Pasha?” He asks.

“Yeah. We’re good.” Portia tells him. “But you owe me a beer when we get home!” She adds with a wink.

“I’ll buy the first round, if you get the second.” Julian agrees, with a grin. The tension surrounding us dissipates as if it was never there. I let out a sigh of relief.

“Shayde may have foiled the Devil’s magic, but we still have a problem.” Nadia points out. “How are we to cross this river?"

“I think I can raise a bridge, with everyone’s help.” I reply. The spell would be impossible to do alone, or in the real world … but here, it just might work. After all, the rules in the realms of the Arcana aren’t the same as they are in our world.

“Ooh! Does this mean I get to help with magic?! I’ve never done magic before!” Portia sounds quite ecstatic about that. “Uh, how _do_ I do magic?” Laughing, I offer Portia my hand. She grabs onto it, her face lighting up in excitement.

“Do you feel that?” I ask.

“I … Oh! That tingly feeling? Yeah!” Portia answers.

“Magic is about willpower. Just focus on that feeling, and if you believe hard enough, a bridge will appear.” I explain.

“Believing the impossible, huh? Alright, let’s give it a try!” Portia says. The others gather around us, adding their strength to mine. I reach out, my magic seeping into the stone. The realm itself resists, pushing back against me. The Devil doesn’t want to let us pass. I didn’t come this far to give up now. But, little by little, the tide turns in my favor. Steeling myself, I take a deep breath, and _shove_. A stone bridge erupts from the river, blood cascading off its sides in sheets. But just as quickly, it starts to shudder, disintegrating at the edges. It’s now or never!

“Run for it!” Julian calls. We break our grip on each other, and sprint across the bridge. Chunks of stone fall into the boiling river, hissing and steaming as they sink. My lungs burning and heart pounding, I just barely reach the other bank in time.

“Mazelinka!” I hear Portia shout. I whirl around just in time to see Mazelinka loose her footing as the last of the bridge crumbles back into the river of blood. Acting completely on instinct, I lunge forward, grabbing her arm. Asra drops to his knees next to me, and grabs Mazelinka’s other arm.

“Hang on!” Asra tells her. I pull as hard as I can, but I don’t have a good grip. I can feel Mazelinka slipping away from me. Then Julian grabs my shoulders, and Nadia gets a good grip on the back of Asra’s shirt.

“Got you!” Julian says.

“Pull!” Nadia orders. With a great heave, we pull Mazelinka up on solid ground. For a moment, we just sit there and catch our breath.

“Are you alright?” I ask her.

“Blah! I’m fine. I must be getting too old for this nonsense.” She replies with a grimace and a wave of her trusty spoon. Nazali waves away her words.

“Nonsense. You’ll be running circles around us whippersnappers for years to come.” They say with a smile.

“We’d better get moving. It isn’t safe to stay in one place for too long.” Asra warns. We’re close, now. But as soon as I take a step forward … The desert seems to elongate, the hill receding rapidly into the distance. The Devil isn’t going to make it easy on us at all. Wizened trees burst up through the ground, showering us with sand and pebbles. A murky purple liquid bubbles up between their roots. We are suddenly in a fantastical swamp.

“Oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me!” Julian growls in frustration. As the words leave his lips, gravity twists violently around us, and my stomach flips right along with it.

“Grabs something and hang on!” Asra instructs. I grab blindly for a tree trunk, closing my eyes to try and stave off the rush of vertigo. For a long, dizzying moment, I can’t tell which direction is up. Then the sense of motion seems to settle. Cautiously, I crack open one eye. We’re … upside down. Or else the realm is. Above our heads, the swamp gurgles faintly. Below, there’s nothing but sky.

“Is anyone else just a little, tiny bit scared of heights?” Portia asks, almost in a whisper. I only look down for an instant, before I quickly avert my gaze, clinging harder to the tree. I’m not doing _that_ again. As if I wasn’t scared of heights before!

“Ohhh no. No, no, no. This is not what I wanted to be doing today.” Julian says. I give him a look. This from the guy that allowed himself to be hanged and traveled across multiple realms just earlier today. I stare dubiously across the swamp, to the hill in the distance. How are we supposed to get there now? As I’m thinking, something drips onto my shoulder. I almost don’t register it, until it starts to burn.

“Ow!” I wipe it off hastily, wincing, and looking up. The purple swamp is starting to drip down on us, caustic liquid sizzling against the trees and vines. And us, if we aren’t careful.

“We need to move, fast!” Asra says, an urgency to his voice.

“Alright then. I’ve never tried to do this upside down before, but let’s see if this works!” Nazali says as they grab hold of one of the vines, and with a loud whoop, they kick off from their tree. They swing across to the next tree, and land on another branch.

“Ha, I’ve still got it!” Nazali calls in triumph. It’s terrifying to say the least, but it sure beats staying still. Talking a deep breath, I grab a vine. Before I can think better of it, I jump, swinging across the gap. For a moment I’m afraid I won’t make it … and then I land safely. Behind me, Portia is struggling to reach a vine just out of her reach. I feel her pain. Being short is really challenging at times. Julian opens his mouth, doubtless to make a joke-

“Go on, say it. I dare you.” Portia taunts her brother, rolling her eyes.

“Errrrrrr, uh. Say what? I wasn’t going to say anything.” Julian says.

“Perhaps I may be of assistance?” Nadia lands on Portia’s branch, as surefooted as if she were walking on a Vesuvian street. I have to say, I envy the grace and poise she has.

“Not unless you can make that jump for me, milady.” Portia replies.

“That was the idea.” Nadia says simply. In one graceful move, Nadia scoops Portia up into her arms. Well then.

“Oh! I uh, I … th-thank you.” Portia stutters out. Nadia catches a vine, and leaps, swinging to the next tree. I look at Julian. Julian looks at me. I can see it before he even says anything. He is sometimes easier to read than a large print book.

“Oh, I wish _I_ had a dashing hero like that …” He teases. Discretion is the better part of valor, however. I take a long, long look at the gap, and regretfully shake my head. It’s probably best to play it safe. I really, _really_ don’t like heights.

“Sorry, Julian.” I say.

“Don’t be, Shayde.” Julian tells me. “I can always sweep myself off my feet.” I resist he urge to roll my eyes as he picks a vine and starts swinging, and I follow as quickly as I can. We catch up to Nadia and Portia easily enough, but Nazali, Asra, and Mazelinka are far ahead of us. Something tells me that Julian would be way ahead if Portia and I weren’t slower than the others. He can’t help but be protective.

“Hey, Pasha! Having fun?” Julian calls.

“Yeah! This adventuring stuff is great!” Portia calls back.

“Really? Poison swamp and boiling blood and all?” Julian asks, surprise written across his features. I laugh at his comment.

“Well … I can take or leave the ‘saving the world from a giant goatman’ part.” She replies. “But I’ve always wanted to go on wild adventures in far-off lands.”

“Really?” Nadia inquires. She deftly dodges a splash of caustic liquid, and ducks under a tangle of vines. I have no idea how she’s doing that so easily, when it’s taking all my concentration to not fall. The vertigo I still feel is not helping.

“Then, I know this isn’t the time, but … I have a question for you, Portia.” Nadia begins. “There’s an exotic animal rescue on the outskirts of Vesuvia. It’s been vacant for some time. Nasmira offered to assist with it, but she has duties elsewhere, so she cannot be its director. Would you be interested in the job?” Portia opens and closes her mouth a few times, clearly torn.

“Milady! I … I’d love too, but what about you?” She finally asks.

“I’ve been very grateful for your work at the Palace, Portia. But I know you don’t want to be a servant forever. You mustn’t hold yourself back for my sake. I hereby release you from my service. The rescue is yours. Though I suppose the paperwork will need to wait till we’re safely back at the Palace.” Nadia says with a wink.

“I- I don’t know what to say. Milady, I …” Portia can barely get the words out. Julian stops on a branch, and cups his free hand over his mouth to shout in their direction.

“Thank you! Start with thank you!” He calls. Portia whirls on him.

“Shut up, Ilya!” Julian just laughs, taking off from his perch again. Mid-swing, Asra shouts in alarm. Great, now what?!

“Look out!” Asra calls. The bottom drops out of my stomach, and I’m falling, the world spinning around me. Again. When the world finally settles around me, I’m lying on my back, in the sand. Back to the scorching red desert, it seems.

“Shayde! Darling, are you alright? Anything hurt?” Julian asks as he helps me to my feet. Everyone else is picking themselves up too, groaning and wincing.

“I’m sore, but I’ll live.” I reply.

“Good, good, glad to hear it.” Julian says with a fond smile. “Because, ah. If I’m not mistaken … We’re finally here.” Ahead of us is the hill, the stone arches atop it stretching into the sky like teeth. There’s no more tricks. No more obstacles. All that remains is the Devil himself. Julian takes my hand and squeezes gently, something I didn’t even realize I needed until he did it. I square my shoulders, determined. I don’t need to say anything. I just have to believe that the seven of us will be enough. Together, we climb the hill. One way or another, this will all be over very soon.

At the top, the stone arches open up around us into … well, not a throne _room_, exactly. It’s too open, too chaotic, to be a room. The horizon seems to undulate in my peripheral vision. Whenever I blink, it feels like the whole room has shifted a few degrees outward, or else I’ve shifted inward. The effect brings back a hint of the vertigo. The only things that remains static are the stone dais, the jet-black throne perched atop it … And the Devil himself, standing at the edge of the dais.

“There you are, you big ugly goat! Put ‘em up!” Portia leaps forward, only to be yanked back unceremoniously by Mazelinka.

“Ahhh. You’ve arrived. And in good spirits, at that.” The Devil says. He smiles at us like a cat with a canary in its jaws.

“You, uh, you sound awfully pleased about that.” Julian observes with narrowed eyes, echoing my own thoughts.

“Well, of course. I expected you to fall at the first hurdle.” The Devil responds. “And yet here you are. I do so enjoy surprises.” He strolls to his throne and sits, looking utterly relaxed. As if he’s simply entertaining guests. Either he is acting more confident than he feels or we have bitten off more than we can chew. I sincerely hope it is the former.

“Now … as pitiful as your attempts to interfere are, you have become an unwelcome nuisance. But I abhor unnecessary conflict. So I will offer you one last chance. Turn around, and leave. So long as you do not interfere with my plans … I will not pursue you.” The Devil says. How generous of him. My head held high, I meet the Devil’s unblinking gaze.

“We haven’t come this far to back down now.” I declare. “We’re going to stop you.” The Devil throws back his head and laughs, a dark rumble that shivers through the cavernous space.

“My, my. Do you really think you have even the slightest hope of stopping me? Your hubris will be your downfall.” He taunts. A terrible wind howls through the arches, carrying a discordant, wailing chorus. Hundreds of voices lament their fate, their foolishness in challenging the Devil. The gale reverberates in my chest, and shudders in my bones. Blackness flickers at the edges of my vision. Through the haze, I catch a glimpse of Asra. He raises his hands, magic flaring brightly in the air. And just like that, the wind dies. A bubble of silent, still air surrounds us.

“You’ll have to do better than that.” Asra says. The Devil sighs, with the gentle condescension of a teacher correcting a wayward pupil.

“And you ought to know better than to waste your energy so early. After all, you’ll need it to protect our dear, foolish Shayde.” The Devil turns to me. “Bringing your real body here … I underestimated your recklessness, it seems.” My breathing sounds painfully loud in the silence. Nobody was hit as hard as I was. But no one else is fully here. I force myself to stand straight, though my legs feel like jelly and my heart pounds.

“Some things are worth the risk.” I say.

“So you would throw away your life, for … what? Glory? Power?” The Devil asks. “If you want those things, you need only ask. I can give you whatever you desire.”

“No.” I reach out without looking. Julian takes my right hand; Portia, my left. Everyone gathers behind me. “I’m here for my friends, my family, my world. For our future. You can’t give us that. We’ll seize it for ourselves.” With every word I speak, our combined magic builds, crescendoing ever higher.

“How very _human_ of you. Ever so short-sighted … and short-lived.” The Devil lifts a black-clawed hand. Familiar chains flash into existence around our bodies. Before I can get my bearings, the chains pull taut. We’re all sent stumbling away from each other.

“Shayde!” Julian calls, reaching out for me.

“Gah! Fight fair, you bastard!” Mazelinka demands. The Devil laughs, and holds up his empty hands.

“Me? I’m not doing anything.” He replies. Unfortunately, he is right. The chains aren’t coming from the Devil, or even from his realm. They’re coming from _us_.

“You know, Shayde, we do have our similarities after all.” The Devil goes on. “We bind others to ourselves. Tie their fates, inextricably, to our own. There’s just one difference. My subjects know who holds the chains.” He snaps his fingers. In an instant, I’m bombarded with feelings that aren’t my own. Nazali’s fear, Julian’s pain, Portia’s insecurity … The weight of it all crushes me to the unforgiving floor, forcing my breath from my lungs. I can just barely see the others buckling under the pressure as well.

“Look at you. None of you are in control, and so you only hurt each other.” The Devil taunts. “Your bonds make you weak and confused. You crush yourselves under the weight of your misguided attachments. And now … they will be your downfall.” It hurts to even breathe. But somehow, I find the strength to speak. I _have_ to.

“You’re wrong.” The Devil clasps his hands behind his back, studying me.

“Am I? Do enlighten me.” He says.

“You and I are nothing alike.” I tell him. “It’s not just fear and pain we share. It’s hope. Joy. Love. All the things that make us human, all the things you’ll never have. These bonds aren’t a burden. They’re our _strength_.” With each word, the chains binding me grow lighter and lighter. And then I realize … they aren’t actually chains at all. In a flash of light, they transform into golden ropes, shining in the dark.

“It hardly matters. Even a very strong ant is still an ant.” The Devil scoffs. Black flames come crashing down on me like a wave. He means to kill me where I stand. I bring all the magic I have to bear. The flames catch on the crescent edge of a shield. It won’t hold for long, but I don’t need it to. With both hands, I grasp the golden ropes. They may not be the same as the Devil’s chains … but I’ll bet they can bind him just the same. Maybe even better. Power and agony roar through my body, an uncontrollable tempest of magic that threatens to tear me apart. It’s all I can do to to hold myself together. I can feel myself cracking under the strain. This magic was never meant to be used like this, in a body so fragile, by a mind so human … I … I can’t do this. Thunder booms, and the realm is cast into darkness. My shield breaks under the onslaught.

“And after all that fuss … this is all you can muster?” The Devil muses as if to himself. “Pathetic.” The flames around me press greedily inward, painting the throne room in hellish light. My vision swims dizzily. The Devil isn’t one for getting things over with.

“This is where your path ends, Fool.” The Devil declares.

“Not … on my watch!” Julian growls. He forces himself to his knees, struggling against the roaring flames.

“Don’t you know when you are beaten?” The Devil asks. “Stay down, and I’ll make this quick.” Even without a body, Julian isn’t immune to the searing heat. He lets out a ragged scream. Nonetheless, he forces himself to his feet. He takes a step. Then another. Bit by bit, he pushes through the wall of flame, his hand outstretched. His fingers just barely brush my arm. Then, with a great effort, he lunges forward, closing the distance between us.

“Got you!” Julian shouts triumphantly. As soon as his hand lands on my shoulder, the pains abruptly lessens, even as Julian bites down on a pained cry. In the dark, light flickers under my skin. It’s barely an ember, flickering weakly … but it’s there.

“Shayde! Ilya!” With a fierce yell, Portia hurls herself through the flames, and towards us. Her hand lands solidly over mine, where it’s curled into a vise around the rope. More relief.

“Bah! No goat is getting the better of me!” Mazelinka says as she heaves herself upright, roaring ferociously as she battles towards us. Asra’s silence spells breaks, and the wind comes wailing back in, churning the flames into a raging vortex around us. But Asra himself claws his way through it, determination blazing in his eyes.

“Shayde, you can do this! We can do this!” He calls. Nazali and Nadia hang on to each other as they struggle upright.

“Come on, Dia! Can’t let them have all the fun!” Nazali shouts, as upbeat as ever despite the circumstances around them.

“I wasn’t planning on it!” Nadia states with a determined frown. One by one, my friends fight their way to my side, surrounding me. As they lay their hands on my back, my shoulders, my arms, the pain subsides. We share it, just as we share our power. Light blazes under my skin, seven different auras melding into a single blazing beacon.

“How? How are you doing this? You’re weak! Mortal!” The Devil roars. “I can crush you with a thought! So why won’t you just die?!” He rises from his throne, a towering figure painted in flame and shadow. With his terrible claws, he reaches out and grasps the golden ropes. They blacken in his hold, transmuting into those awful chains. It feels like a sickeningly oily claw, slowly closing around my heart. But he can’t break our bonds by force. Magic radiates down our hands, and the Devil’s corruption flakes away like ash, revealing the ropes once more.

“No … No! This is my realm! I am the master here! I cannot be defeated! I WILL NOT ALLOW IT!” The Devil howls in fury, and the realm howls with him. The arches writhe at impossible angles, growing and eyes teeth as they spear down towards us. Geysers of blood erupt through the floor, cracking the dais and painting the walls with lurid red. The realm itself is fighting against us now. But together, we’re strong. Stronger than he is. It is time to bind the Devil. Light coruscates across the ropes, and they surge forward all at once. They wrap themselves around the Devil, binding his arms, his legs, his torso. Then, the terrible heat abates. So does the pain, leaving me gasping for breath in its wake.

“Shayde, what … what’s happening?” Julian asks. Wherever the ropes touch, white spreads across the Devil’s body. Though the Devil rages, the realm crashing down around us … He can’t stop it. He’s turning to stone. All the while, he roars and shouts at us.

“You haven’t won! You will never win! I’ll get out, even if it takes a thousand … a million years! You will regret the day you thought to oppose me! DO YOU HEAR ME? I WILL-” Before he can tell us what exactly he’ll do, his face seizes, petrified into a hideous snarl. Abruptly, the realm falls silent. The flames extinguish, the wind dies out, and the ground stills. I look up into the Devil’s frozen visage. The stone radiates fury, a silent howl promising vengeance.

“And when that day comes, and you escape … someone just like us will be here to stop you. You can be sure of that.” I tell him as I step back. Then exhaustion catches up with me, all at once. I sway, my head spinning, and my legs buckle.

“Whoa, take it easy, Shayde!” Portia warns. I’m supported and steadied my six pairs of hands, as everyone gathers close to me.

“Shayde … my love. You did it. _We_ did it.” Julian says. I look up at the exhausted, yet triumphant faces around me, and manage to smile.

“Let’s go home.” I say.

A month later … The door shuts behind my last customer of the day. I stretch, yawning as I do. Ever since Julian opened up his clinic next door, we’ve had no shortage of customers. Business is booming, and the shelves are overflowing with magical ingredients and trinkets to prove it. I had thought the shop might be less cluttered after Asra moved to the Palace to be with his parents … But as it turns out, Julian’s just as messy. If not more so. And, speaking of Julian … I know that knock. The door swings open, and Julian ducks inside. His whole expression lights up when he see me. Then he gets a familiar, mischievous glint in his eye. Oh boy. Here it comes.

“Oh, Shayde, if only you knew how far I’ve come to see you again! What dangers I’ve seen, what far-off lands I’ve traveled through!” He spouts dramatically. “Did you miss me?” Putting away my ledger, I affect a thoughtful, concerned look.

“All that in … what, six hours? You’ve been busy.” I deadpan. “We’re you slaying dragons in the Ashfell Wastes today? Or diving to the bottom of the Vraski Ocean?”

“Why not both?” Julian quips with that devilishly handsome grin of his. “Never underestimate how much trouble I can get into, Shayde.” Oh, I definitely don’t. I got into a lot of that trouble with him.

“As long as you’re out of it by dinnertime, dear.” I reply. He splutters and goes red, his bravado cracked by one pet name. _That_ will never get old.

“I, uh, well, that is, er …” I laugh, shaking my head fondly.

“You can dish it out, but you still can’t take it.” I say.

“… One day I’ll get used to that.” Julian determines.

“Not for a long time, I hope.” I tease. Smiling, Julian ducks to kiss my cheek in a proper greeting.

“I’ve locked up the clinic already. Are you done for the day? Ready to head down to the docks?” Julian asks.

“I still need to close up shop.” I tell him.

“Oh? Want some help with that, love?”

“Yes, please.” I reply. “But, I need your help cleaning, first.”

“Ahh. You know how I know it’s true love?” Julian says, sounding wistful. “I’d do anything for you. Even, horror of horrors, _clean_.” I give him a pointed look over my shoulder as I get to cleaning.

“Brave words, considering you fled the shop the last time I asked!” I toss a dust cloth at his face, and he catches it, laughing.

“Ah, the cleaning god demands sacrifice! Blood, sweat, and tears!” He swoops in for a kiss, but I catch him with two fingers on his lips. He blinks at me in surprise.

“_After_ we’re done packing.” I say. If I let him kiss me now, it’s all over. Nothing will get done. And we will be late.

“O cruel god!” Julian laments. “Will thy tyranny never end?” He dramatically falls back, clutching the dust cloth to his chest. But I won’t be distracted by any amount of swooning. No matter how adorable it is.

“It will when these counters are clean and our bags are packed.” I tell him.

“Do you promise?” He asks with a thoughtful frown.

“I promise.” For all his playful protests, Julian’s all too happy to shrug off his jacket and get to work. As we clean up the shop, he makes small talk.

“How was your day, darling? Any fun customers?” He asks.

“Barth bought some ingredients from me.” I say it as casually as I can, watching Julian’s expression from the corner of my eye. I want to see how he will react to that little tidbit.

“Oh? That’s ni- Wait. Wait, Barth? Bartender Barth, Rowdy Raven Barth???” He asks, eyes wide. I have to laugh at his reaction.

“Do you know any other Barths?” I ask. I don’t think he does, but you never know with Julian. He seems to know everybody.

“Nnnno. But why is Barth buying ingredients _here?_” Julian wonders, before realizing how that sounds. “Errrr, that came out wrong. Your shop is excellent, love, but it’s a _magic_ shop.” Feigning disinterest, I count the day’s money as I talk.

“Didn’t you know? Most of the drinks at the Rowdy Raven have a magical ingredient or two.” Julian’s jaw drops so sharply I can almost hear it hit the ground.

“What?!” He gasps in clear shock. “You’re pulling my leg, Shayde. You, uh, you _are_ pulling my leg, right?” I give up any pretense, grinning broadly at him.

“Nope.” I say, shaking my head. “Remember that drink he makes, with the purple flowers? The one he says brings good luck?” When Julian nods, I continue. “Those flowers are a major ingredient in luck spells, and he just bought a bunch.”

“He … wh … You mean it’s not just a sales tactic??? Wait! Wait just a second! What’s he been putting in those Salty Bitters, then?!” Julian practically demands.

“He wouldn’t tell me … but he bought some magic salts while he was here.” I reply with a shrug.

“He _didn’t_.” Julian says.

“He did.” I counter. Julian goes quiet and still for a long moment, staring off into space. I bite back my laughter. His reaction was even more over-the-top than I was expecting. “Everything okay there, love?”

“Fine, fine, just readjusting my entire worldview. You know how it goes.” Julian replies. As a matter of fact, I do. I study his shellshocked expression, a fond smile tugging at my lips. Maybe I should wait to tell him that Mazelinka also buys magic ingredients from me … It might break him if I do it now. By the time we’re done, the shop is sparkling clean.

“You know this’ll all be dusty again by the time we get back, right?” Julian asks, somewhat incredulous.

“Yes, but it would be worse if we didn’t clean now.” I reason.

“Hmmmm, if you say so. Well, let’s go pack, shall we?” He shrugs. We head upstairs together, Julian ducking automatically under the hanging ornaments. He learned quickly that they were not fun to run face first into. While I dig out my traveling bags, Julian bustles around the little kitchen.

“Ah, hello there, Mister Salamander! Sorry to wake you, but could you light the stove, please?” I hear him say before pausing. “Perfect, thank you.” Julian was nervous about the stove salamander at first, but he’s come a long way since then. I’m very proud of him.

“Oh no …” I say, mostly to myself.

“What is it?” Julian asks. I lift a bunch of tiny snake sweaters that I just found.

“Asra must’ve forgotten these. I hope Faust isn’t cold without them.” I say.

“Ah, no need to worry there, Shayde.” Julian assures me. “Last time we met for the aqueduct project, he was knitting another one.” Nadia’s started tackling a number of ambitious projects to improve the city. She, Julian, Asra, and Asra’s parents are working on aqueducts to bring fresh, clean water to the whole city.

“How’s that coming along, anyways?” I ask.

“We’re making real progress! Salim came up with a novel way to levitate cement blocks. If we can scale it up the way Aisha suggested, it’ll speed construction up by months, maybe years! And revolutionize construction practices across the continent!” Julian tells me. He gestures while he talks, his expression alight with excitement. “Ah, but, well. That’s a while off yet. The first shipment of materials won’t arrive until after we’ve returned. Tea’s ready, by the way.” I abandon my packing, joining Julian at the small, rickety table. As usual, Julian’s legs don’t quite fit, but we tangle our ankles together under the table. We savor our tea in companionable silence, enjoying each other’s closeness.

“Ahhh. Nothing like a good cup of tea to refresh the mind.” Julian observes. While I take our mugs to the sink, Julian gets his own bags out.

“Don’t forget your scarf, Shayde. You’d be surprised how chilly the nights can get.” He warns.

“Got it. Do you really need leeches for this trip?” I ask, one eyebrow raised.

“You never know!” Julian argues. Before long, our bags are neatly packed. Everything we need for a month or more at sea. I think. We stand together, surveying our small living space.

“Is that everything?” I question.

“Of course not.” Julian scoffs. “First rule of packing for a trip: we absolutely forgot something. But we won’t know until we realize we need it, so there’s no use worrying about it now. Besides! You’re forgetting something much more important, right now.” He waggles his eyebrows at me. Subtle, darling.

“I didn’t forget.” Smiling, I reach for him, tangling my fingers in the fine hairs at the nape of his neck. “I promised, didn’t I?”

“Shayde …” His eyes flutter shut as a draw him closer. He’s smiling against my lips even as he melts into the kiss. His cool skin warms against mine. No matter how many times we touch, I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. He sighs against my mouth, curling a hand around the nape of my neck and holding me close. Finally, reluctantly, I draw back.

“Ah, Shayde. You really are cruel.” Julian complains.

“Not because I want to be, you know.” I retort.

“I know, I know. We can’t be _too_ late.” He clears his throat, straightening his shirt. “So! Grab your bags, Shayde, and we’ll be off!” We bring our bags downstairs, and I give the shop one last, critical look … Well, it’s as Julian said, I won’t remember anything I’ve forgotten until it’s too late anyways. As Julian retrieves his coat, I hear a querulous croak from above. Malak pokes his head out from his nest on a high shelf, then flutters down to land on my shoulder.

“Malak, you rascal!” Julian accuses. “You were up there this whole time? And you didn’t help with the cleaning?!” Even though Malak can’t actually make facial expressions, he manages to look _very_ smug. We step out of the shop, and I lay my hand on the door. Protective sigils glimmer on its surface. All will be well.

“Ohhh, no, we are _definitely_ running late. We’d better run for it. Race you to the docks!” Julian says. Without waiting for an answer, he bolts.

“Hey! No fair!” I call after him. The sound of his laughter rings from the walls as I give chase, cursing those long legs of his under my breath. We cross the city in record time. Despite Julian’s head start, I catch up just as we reach the ship.

“Hey, you two!” Portia waves at us, beaming. She has traded her Palace uniform for a more daring pirate look. The sleeveless, off the shoulder top and colorful sashes suit her. Nadia stands next to her, smiling warmly at us.

“Julian, Shayde. How good to see you.” Nadia says in greeting.

“Why are you two gasping like that? Wait, don’t tell me you ran all the way here!” Portia says, eyes wide.

“Of course not!” Julian counters. “That would imply that we were late.” The lid of Portia’s wicker backpack pops up, and Pepi pokes her head out, chirping at us. Julian scratches Pepi’s head, grinning when she headbutts his palm.

“And, ah, Countess, good to see you! Don’t tell me you’re running off to sea with us?” Julian asks. Nadia’s expression turns to a longing one.

“Alas, my duties keep me here.” Nadia laments. “But I wanted to see you off.”

“Hoi, you lollygagging lot!” Mazelinka calls from aboard the ship. “It’s about time you got here!”

“Let’s not keep her waiting too long. Everyone ready?” I ask. Nadia clears her throat.

“Wait. Before you go … Portia, I thought … I wanted to ask …” I’ve never seen Nadia so … uncertain, before.

“Um! Actually, milady- I mean, Nadia- I have something I wanted to ask you! And I can’t wait any more!” Portia stutters. I startle when Julian grabs my arm, hanging on tightly. He seems utterly riveted. Like he knows what is happening.

“Julian, wha-?” I start to say, but he shushes me.

“Nadia … Would … When I get back … Would you like to go on a date? Sometime? With me?” Portia finally manages to get out. Nadia is stunned speechless for a moment.

“Portia … that is the very question I wanted to ask you!” Nadia replies. Julian gasps loudly. I clap a hand over his mouth to shush him. It’s only fair. He shushed me first, after all.

“Really?!” Portia practically squeaks in surprise.

“Yes! I would very much like to go on a date with you!” Nadia tells her, laughing in delight. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Julian pulls my hand away from his mouth, beaming from ear to ear.

“Told you so, Pasha!” Typical big brother.

“Oh, like you have any room to talk! Mr. ‘What if I’m reading Shayde all wrong!’” Portia shoots back. That does sound like Julian. Mazelinka and her crew cheer and clap from the rigging, shouts of congratulations ringing over the water.

“Looks like it runs in the family, eh? It’s about time!” Mazelinka says. “Now, come on, get aboard, before the wind turns!” Nadia clears her throat, leans down, and kisses Portia on the cheek. Portia’s face goes cherry red, but she’s still grinning hugely as we bring our bags onboard.

“Weigh anchor!” Mazelinka orders. Down on the dock, Nadia waves farewell to us, smiling.

“Fair winds and safe travels! I look forward to hearing about your adventures!” She calls.

“We’ll be back before you know it!” Portia calls back as she leans over the railing to wave back at Nadia, beaming, until she’s out of sight. With the wind at our backs, we practically fly out of the harbor. Julian shucks his heavy coat and climbs into the rigging, nimble as a cat.

“Ahhh. Bright sunshine, a salty breeze, water as far as the eye can see … Perfect.” He muses. I look up at him, shading my eyes. He’s silhouetted in sunlight, his expression light and carefree. Malak takes off from my shoulder, cawing as he flies in wide circles around the ship. We’re off to Nevivon, it will be the first time Julian and Portia will have returned to their childhood home in years. And after that? Well, the whole world is out there … but we’ll always have our home in Vesuvia waiting for us. Julian calls to me from his place in the rigging.

“Hope you’re ready to have another adventure, Shayde!”

The End.


End file.
